Law Office of Janet L. Brewer

Law Office of Janet L. Brewer Protecting the wealth and legacy of affluent families in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area—domestic and international planning for 30+ years.

www.calprobate.com | 650 325-8276 The Law Office of Janet L. Brewer has delivered trusted estate planning services to affluent families in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area for more than 30 years. Based in Los Altos, the firm helps clients navigate legacy planning with clarity, whether their needs are local, international, or both. While the firm handles a wide range of estate planning matters, abou

t a quarter of its work involves international planning for U.S. citizens, green card holders, visa holders, non-residents with U.S. assets, and non-residents with California beneficiaries. Janet and her team design tax-efficient plans that utilize tools such as trusts and wealth transfer strategies to protect what matters most across multiple jurisdictions. As a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, and Probate Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, Janet Brewer leads the firm with a commitment to clarity, confidence, and personalized service. Visit www.calprobate.com to access free planning guides in the Resource Room or to schedule a consultation.

An estimated $84 trillion is expected to change hands over the next two decades. Most of the conversation focuses on fin...
06/04/2026

An estimated $84 trillion is expected to change hands over the next two decades. Most of the conversation focuses on financial assets — but what about everything else?

Baby boomers have among the highest homeownership rates of any generation. When someone downsizes or passes away, those belongings must go somewhere — and the people left to manage them often aren't prepared for what that involves.

A Lifetime of Belongings looks at the estate planning side of that process — and what families can do now to make it more manageable. >> https://bit.ly/4tzOjkh

Did you know that how your home is titled can determine whether your estate plan works as intended?If your plan includes...
06/03/2026

Did you know that how your home is titled can determine whether your estate plan works as intended?

If your plan includes a trust, your property may need to be titled in the name of that trust — not in your individual name. A mismatch between your deed and your documents can undermine your plan entirely, even if everything else is in order.

A real estate transition is one of the clearest signals that an estate plan review is overdue. Here's what to check. >> https://bit.ly/3PtVRXN

If you became unable to make decisions tomorrow, who would step in?For single adults, this question does not answer itse...
05/28/2026

If you became unable to make decisions tomorrow, who would step in?

For single adults, this question does not answer itself. Without a financial power of attorney and a medical power of attorney in place, a court may appoint someone on your behalf — and that person may not be who you would have chosen.

Naming the right people in advance is one of the most important things you can do. Here's where to start. >> https://bit.ly/4nzSdrW

If you pass away without an estate plan, California law decides who receives your assets — and the default order may hav...
05/26/2026

If you pass away without an estate plan, California law decides who receives your assets — and the default order may have nothing to do with your actual wishes.

That gap between intention and outcome can be significant. The people you would have chosen may receive nothing, while distant relatives you barely know may inherit by default.

Putting the right documents in place changes that entirely. Read more about what single adults should have in order. >> https://bit.ly/3ReFvmx

What are you really passing on?Assets transfer through wills and trusts. Values transfer through conversation. Families ...
05/08/2026

What are you really passing on?

Assets transfer through wills and trusts. Values transfer through conversation. Families who talk openly about how their wealth was built — what it cost, what it means, and what they hope it will do — give their heirs something no document can provide: context.

That context is what shapes a beneficiary into a steward.
Read more about how families are approaching this — and what it can mean for the legacy you leave. >> https://bit.ly/4cDS1CW

Warren Buffett's advice on estate planning has nothing to do with stock picks.He recommends that every parent — regardle...
05/07/2026

Warren Buffett's advice on estate planning has nothing to do with stock picks.

He recommends that every parent — regardless of wealth — sit down with their children and explain the logic behind their estate plan before it is ever needed. Not to negotiate. Just to make sure no one is left asking "Why?" when you are no longer able to answer.

It is simpler than it sounds. Read more about how to make that conversation happen. >> https://bit.ly/4ewfZCQ

Most high-net-worth families say their heirs are not very prepared for their inheritance. And 61 percent have given them...
05/06/2026

Most high-net-worth families say their heirs are not very prepared for their inheritance. And 61 percent have given them no meaningful direction about how the wealth should be used.

That is not a planning failure — it is a conversation failure.

Stewardship is not about the size of an estate. It is about the mindset heirs bring to receiving it. And that mindset develops long before any documents are signed.

Here's what those conversations can look like — and how to start having them. >> https://bit.ly/4cDRUau

When did you last talk to the person named in your medical power of attorney?If it has been a few years — or if you have...
05/01/2026

When did you last talk to the person named in your medical power of attorney?

If it has been a few years — or if you have never had that conversation at all — now is a good time. Health conditions change. Relationships evolve. The preferences you had when you signed that document may look different today.

An annual review with your agent and estate planning attorney can help ensure your plan still reflects who you are and what matters most to you.

Read our latest article for a practical guide to what that conversation should cover. >> https://bit.ly/4eHaDoe

You've named someone to make medical decisions for you if you can't. But have you told them what you actually want?A med...
04/29/2026

You've named someone to make medical decisions for you if you can't. But have you told them what you actually want?

A medical power of attorney is only as effective as the conversation behind it. Your agent needs to know your preferred physicians, your treatment history, your medications, your allergies, and — perhaps most importantly — your quality-of-life priorities.

Without that guidance, even someone who knows you well may struggle to act on your behalf with confidence.

Here are some tips to help ensure your agent knows what to do and how to honor your wishes. >> https://bit.ly/4cDRpx8

A will or trust can transfer your assets. It cannot explain your reasoning.When heirs are left to interpret decisions wi...
04/28/2026

A will or trust can transfer your assets. It cannot explain your reasoning.

When heirs are left to interpret decisions without context, confusion and conflict can follow — not because the plan was poorly designed, but because it was never discussed. A family meeting gives your estate plan a voice that documents alone cannot provide.

Here's how to approach that conversation — and make sure it does what you need it to. >> https://bit.ly/4cXb8cx

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4 Main Street, Suite 20
Los Altos, CA
94022

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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